HK OCT 30 - RICH UNICORN ENDS ENTRAPMENT’S UNBEATEN RUN

By Hong Kong Jockey Club | Monday, October 31, 2011

In a brilliant day’s racing at Sha Tin the two major events, the HKG2 Premier Bowl and the HKG2 Sha Tin Trophy, were both won in sensational fashion.

The sensations were rather different though.

In the Bowl the relatively unconsidered Rich Unicorn, from the same John Size stable as the red-hot favourite Entrapment, surged down the outside under Mark du Plessis to stun most fans.

In the Trophy, last year’s HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup winner, California Memory, a mildly surprising winner only in that he was racing at a distance many thought would be short of his best, wove his way through on the rail to cut down the John Moore-trained G1 BMW Champions Mile winner Xtension and last year’s Trophy winner, the Caspar Fownes-trained Thumbs Up.

All good things come to an end allegedly. Entrapment’s unbeaten record came to an end after his lightly weighted stable-mate came at him wide and late, but in the Bowl he was already fighting a narrowly losing battle against the Danny Shum-trained Little Bridge, who made the most of the six pounds he received to edge out the crowd’s hero for second place.

Entrapment’s owner Benson Lo was a model of sportsmanship. “He was boxed up a bit in running, as I thought he might be,” said Lo. “But he ran a good race, and I’m happy the race was won by the Size stable.”

Trainer Size was not as astonished as some by the triumph of Rich Unicorn who was receiving 13lbs from his more illustrious stable-mate.

“The change in the track condition after the break from racing and reseeding made me think he might enjoy it. I also think he raced on the best ground down the centre of the track.

“I wasn’t disappointed by Entrapment because he had valid excuses. He got a bit lit up early in the race when it looked as though another runner was going to cross him and Douglas (Whyte) had to move him up to avoid that. But he still ran on very well considering the ground was not as quick on the rail where he was racing.”

If his point about the ground was correct, then California Memory’s Trophy victory was even more brilliant than it looked, because he clung to the rail throughout to gun down his rivals late

His rider Matthew Chadwick was euphoric as he described it. “The plan was always to get back,” said Chadwick “and I didn’t have a choice anyway because he was outpaced early.

“Then they all wanted to get off the fence to avoid getting caught in traffic, and Able One was still going strongly in front coming into the straight. So I thought I’d take a gamble and follow him through.

“I agree with John Size that the ground wasn’t as quick on the inside. But maybe we saved a length or two by sticking there and he did run on very well. I never thought the drop to the mile would be a real problem for him.”

Trainer Tony Cruz was in no doubt that the 2000m G2 Cathay Pacific Jockey Club and the G1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cups would be the horse’s next appointments.

“It was a great lead-up for those races. I’m so proud and so happy about today’s performance because people were saying he’s a small horse and wouldn’t carry the weight. But he’s so much stronger this season than he was last.

“I give full credit to Matthew too for his decision to stay on the rail. I hope this horse and Ambitious Dragon don’t have to clash, but if they do we’ll be ready.”

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